This is a collection of news about border issues, particularly those seen from Arizona and regarding the right to keep and bear arms. Sources often include Mexican media. It's often interesting to see how different the view is from the south.
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With the arrival of another "paisano" season, officials are urging Mexican expatriates headed home for the holidays to prepare for their return border crossing by understanding and following U.S. customs and immigration requirements.

And in Ambos Nogales, authorities on both sides of the border are encouraging the travelers to use the Mariposa port of entry on the southbound leg of their journey - especially if they are carrying a lot of merchandise.

Still, whether the paisanos are coming or going, they are likely to encounter delays at the local ports of entry - especially with a $200- million construction project underway at the Mariposa port. And so the authorities are asking for their patience.

"Because of the volume, there's going to be certain delays," said Joe Agosttini, assistant port director in Nogales for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, during a news conference Friday at the Boys and Girls Club to promote CBP's "Know Before You Go" campaign.

"(But) those delays are going to pay off, probably in November of 2014, when we have a brand new port of entry (at Mariposa) with 12 lanes coming into the United States, and eight lanes of cargo for commercial trucks."

In the meantime, travelers can help speed up the return process by having up-to-date identification documents and by following the rules for bringing merchandise into the United States.

For example, Agosttini said, U.S. citizens should be sure to have citizenship documents like passports or passport cards that meet the requirements of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). Also, travel documents outfitted with radio chips, known as RFID, allow people to use the expedited Ready Lanes for vehicle entry into the U.S. And most of all, Agostinni encouraged people to join CBP's SENTRI program for trusted travelers, which gives participants the fastest border crossing option of all.

CBP recently installed pedestrian SENTRI lanes at the DeConcini and Morley ports of entry, Agostinni noted, and he said the agency is working with its partners on the Mexican side to add a second SENTRI vehicle lane at DeConcini.

Eloy Cortez, also an assistant CBP port director in Nogales, said local port officers have been keeping an eye out for southbound travelers who fit the paisano profile and handing them "Know Before You Go" pamphlets.

"It gives you some good tips on what things you should declare, the things you should be bringing back - or not bringing back, more specifically," he said.

By following the rules and not trying to sneak in forbidden agricultural products like apples and oranges - or even pet birds - travelers can avoid fines that start at around $300, he said.

"The key is to declare what you have and you should be in good shape," Cortez said.

Spread the word

Representatives from the Mexican government, the City of Nogales, the local produce industry, downtown merchants association and port authority were on hand for the event, and the CBP officers asked these "ambassadors from the community" to spread the word among travelers about U.S. travel requirements - as well as the consequences of not complying with U.S. laws.

Mexican Consul Jaime Paz y Puente, whose government has its own "Progama Paisano" to aid holiday travelers, said his staff would spread the word at the consulate in Nogales, and Veronica Dimas, deputy administrator for Mexican Customs in Nogales, Sonora, said her office has been distributing "Know Before You Go" pamphlets as well.

In turn, Dimas asked her partner agencies on the U.S. side to encourage paisanos - especially those with loaded-down vehicles - to use the Mariposa port, since Mexican Customs has a more spacious facility on the south side of that port.

Assistant Chief Roy Bermudez said the Nogales Police Department, which plays a support role to CBP during the paisano season, has already been following that approach.

"At the present time, we're encouraging paisanos to take the Mariposa road exit," he said. "That way it will be easier for Mexican authorities to process them."

Outbound traffic issues

As for CBP's outbound inspections on the U.S. side, "vigilance will be at the utmost," Agosttini said.

Mayor Arturo Garino said he knows people get frustrated with the traffic backup along Arroyo Boulevard leading to the DeConcini port, and they often blame the congestion on CBP's outbound inspections.

But he praised CBP's efforts to stem the flow of contraband into Mexico, and said the congestion was a reality long before the outbound checks began.

"I remember back in 1984, in 1985 when I was a patrol officer, we were doing traffic control all the way to City Hall," he said.

And if the paisanos get frustrated with the backups on the U.S. side, Garino has some advice for them.

"If they think the line is too long, hey, we've got hotels, we have restaurants," he said. "Stay in Nogales, enjoy the city."

As for the number of paisanos who will come through the area this year, Mexican Customs officials said they are preparing for an increase, while Agosttini said CBP is prepared for at least the same number as last year.

Speaking about other extra efforts by CBP to respond to the holiday season, Agosttini noted that it has extended the hours at the Morley gate to accommodate holiday shoppers downtown, and is prepared to keep lanes at Mariposa open if there is still traffic waiting to cross at the normal 10 p.m. closing time.

At the DeConcini port, he said, "we're going to make every effort to keep every lane open so we can process the excess volume that we normally see this time of year."

Sixteen people were found severely injured after police served a search warrant at a drophouse in Avondale late Wednesday, officials said.

A Department of Public Safety task force served the search warrant at about 7 p.m. Wednesday at the house in the area of 109th Avenue and Locust Lane.

Inside the house were a total of 23 people including seven suspected human smugglers and 16 victims, authorities said.

When officers entered the house, the suspected smugglers attempted to run out of the master bedroom, severely cutting themselves in the process.

Two of the victims had broken ribs, cuts and bruises and were believed to have been beaten by the smugglers, according to DPS.

Authorities found two semi-automatic guns and several pounds of marijuana in the house.

Four of the men inside the house are facing charges of armed robbery, kidnapping, extortion, human smuggling and aggravated assault.

DPS said they believe this is one of the most severe cases of abuse in a drophouse they have investigated.The 23 people are believed to be undocumented immigrants and were turned over to immigration authorities.